Monogram Mafia Group Build

Hans von Hammer

 ...is to put masking tape on certain ares, then just pull it back off sharply... This will give those big, randomly chipped areas on the wings & fuselages..

the Baron

Hans von Hammer:

Not trying to slam anyone, but that "salt technique" is, IMHO, a lot of hooey... Sure, the results are good, but the rubber cement method is just so much easier, and quicker too... I saw it as someone wanting to re-invent the wheel...  

 

I think you've got a point there, Hammer.  I've tried it now twice; previously on a TBF, to represent the wear on the wing walks.  The main problem with the technique, I find, is that, with such a small amount of water, to get little flaked areas, the water beads into little droplets because of the surface tension, which just aren't the right shape.  I think it might work better to put the salt in a small container, like the well of a palette, then add drops of water and make a paste.  You can control better where it goes, in that case.  But that's a lot of chopping for the small amount chips that fly.

It's easier to take an old brush and some Model Master Chrome and do it that way.  Painting aluminum then the top coat, and chipping with an X-Acto is pretty simple, too.

I also hear guys using water to remove the salt...I don`t do that. My salt comes off dry, using my thumb and fingers mostly, and in the direction of airflow. I use this method primarily for Japanese A/C and actually got an added bonus on one model...the wet salt dried and stained the JN green paint and gave it a faded appearance. Anyways, that`s my experience and opinion...that and a buck-twenty-five `ll get ya a cup of coffee at WaWa!

Trouble with wing-walks is they're a different animal than a wing's leading edge... They don't chip as much as they get scuffed, so I think that dry-brushing that area produces a better result... 

Spraying an aluminum finish over a plane, then covering it in the actual camouflage color is what I do with most Jap Army aircraft... By mid 1943, they were mostly painted camouflage in the field, which led to hug areas getting chipped... What I generally do, in conjunction with the rubber cement mask, is to put masking tape on certain ares, then just pull it back off sharply... This will give those big, randomly chipped areas on the wings & fuselages..

Hans von Hammer

Not trying to slam anyone, but that "salt technique" is, IMHO, a lot of hooey... Sure, the results are good, but the rubber cement method is just so much easier, and quicker too... I saw it as someone wanting to re-invent the wheel...  

I think you've got a point there, Hammer.  I've tried it now twice; previously on a TBF, to represent the wear on the wing walks.  The main problem with the technique, I find, is that, with such a small amount of water, to get little flaked areas, the water beads into little droplets because of the surface tension, which just aren't the right shape.  I think it might work better to put the salt in a small container, like the well of a palette, then add drops of water and make a paste.  You can control better where it goes, in that case.  But that's a lot of chopping for the small amount chips that fly.

It's easier to take an old brush and some Model Master Chrome and do it that way.  Painting aluminum then the top coat, and chipping with an X-Acto is pretty simple, too.

stikpusher

Tal Afar Dave:

Got it now, Stick.

Makes sense; seemed familiar, yet different.   Revell didn't do such a bad job on the retool.  What are your thoughts on it overall?  Guess it's a 'no go' for this group build, but maybe a project later down the road......

 

Thanks for the info!

 

DW

 

Yeah, the boss said no to that particular kit awhile back early on in the GB. My thoughts on the kit overall is that it is a nice affordable 1/48 Mustang that gives you plenty of bang for the buck. They took a proven older kit, modernized it to correct its few shortcomings (namely the cockpit and some exhaust ducting), and made a good thing even better. I have one to do "one day down the road" as well...

I now have unbuilt examples of all three-the original kit, the ProModeler version, and the current version off my LHS' shelf.  I'm going to do a side-by-side-by side comparison of the parts, maybe as an article for our newsletter.  I also will include comparing the original with the -D kit, to see where Monogram improved their detail, when they engineered the bubbletop kit.  For one thing, they made the cockpit much more detailed than in the -B kit.

I have Revell's old P-40E, and the ProModeler -E kit, to do the same kind of comparison.  I don't know-I'm just interested in the history of these kits.

Best regards,

Brad

Can you get "made" twice? I like getting made...um..or am I thinking of somethin` else......

Anyway, a few WIP`s...

So far it`s been a sweet little kit with nice fit and detail. The only bit of trouble was with the ordenance and drop tanks...poor fit and a bunch of sanding but are starting to look like something.

Thanks for looking,

Len

Tal Afar Dave

Got it now, Stick.

Makes sense; seemed familiar, yet different.   Revell didn't do such a bad job on the retool.  What are your thoughts on it overall?  Guess it's a 'no go' for this group build, but maybe a project later down the road......

 

Thanks for the info!

 

DW

Yeah, the boss said no to that particular kit awhile back early on in the GB. My thoughts on the kit overall is that it is a nice affordable 1/48 Mustang that gives you plenty of bang for the buck. They took a proven older kit, modernized it to correct its few shortcomings (namely the cockpit and some exhaust ducting), and made a good thing even better. I have one to do "one day down the road" as well...

ah... Don Hammerloni.... love the "junkyard"... wish you were closer, love wandering in junkyards..

Great looking, Corsair.  Love that spinning prop!

Got it now, Stick.

Makes sense; seemed familiar, yet different.   Revell didn't do such a bad job on the retool.  What are your thoughts on it overall?  Guess it's a 'no go' for this group build, but maybe a project later down the road......

Thanks for the info!

DW

Nice looking Corsairs!

Have made a little progress on the Wildcat.  Cut out the elevators and drilled and inserted some stiff, but pliable, wire to attach to the stabilizers so they could be in droop position.

Drilled the wings for armament and found some brass tubing for gun barrels.  All I could find locally was 1/16 in. tube which seemed to me to be too large, so filed down to a better size (was a tad tedious).

Worked on attaching outer wing sections today.  The port wing fit nicely, but the starboard one is a pain in the *#@.  Gonna take some creative filing.  I'm building the ship with wings extended, not folded.

Ken

Hans von Hammer

..., and lamp-black (soot, for you folks that aren't old enough to remember having a coal-fired furnace in your house)...  I still think "Old School is the Best School"...  Damn-sure's the cheaper one, lol...

 

And you can't forget the good old "clinker" that resulted.  Now that brings back memories, having to shovel the coal into a bucket from the coal room and dump it into the furnace hopper.  What a clean way to heat.

Not familiar with the rubber cement but have read a little about the salt.  Seems I got to learn the "heavy" weathering techniques before i get working on a couple of Japanese planes coming up.

troublemaker66

kustommodeler1:

When is the deadline to have both finito? With school, I havent got to pop the top off the cement bottle in over a month.....

 

I believe it`s 6 months from the starting date of your first build. I think all that info is in the initial post by Hammer.

Roger that... Six months from the start-date of your first kit, or 31 March, which ever was earlier... I put pressure on you mugs, becase it ain't easy bein' Mono-Mafioso, ya know...

the Baron

Hans von Hammer:

...Now, I'm working the nimble little A6M5 Zeke, so far nothing to photograph.. I've dropped the flaps and added the internal ribbing in there as well as the ribbing in the cockpit area of the fuselage, and have started to work on the cockpit floor and throttle quadrant, along with the other greeblies that go in there..

 

You'll probably finish yours before I finish mine, padrone!  Of course, I'm waiting for some decal sheets to arrive, too.

Mine has the canopy attached, and several coats of IJN dark green down.  I abandoned the salt technique, though it left an impact.  I have to mask the upper surfaces next and apply the light grey.  Mine is pretty much out of the box, except for having drilled out instrument faces. 

 

I've since finished the panel, although I drilled out the instruments, I didn't go and scratch in the gauge faces... After test-fitting the panel with the new seat and stick in place, I saw they'd be invisible anyway after I installed the two cowl machine gun-butts, no matter waht angle...

Not trying to slam anyone, but that "salt technique" is, IMHO, a lot of hooey... Sure, the results are good, but the rubber cement method is just so much easier, and quicker too... I saw it as someone wanting to re-invent the wheel...  I'm sure it was innocent enough, but the way some people jumped on it and talked like it was the best thing since sliced bread, drove me nuts... I learned that rubber cement method back in the 70's, from model railroaders... I mean, those guys are from the REALLY old school, ya know?  They've been pioneering techniques for close to 70 years or so, scratch-building and weathering with stuff no one wold even consider these days... No hobby shops to carry "weathering powders" and all that jazz, ya know...

Just pastels, pencil leads, BBQ ashes, clay powders, oil paints, real dirt, and lamp-black (soot, for you folks that aren't old enough to remember having a coal-fired furnace in your house)...  I still think "Old School is the Best School"...  Damn-sure's the cheaper one, lol...

CallSignOWL

 

Thanks Hammer. I didnt know you so generous to boot!

....I only have the software that came with my camera. Otherwise all I'd have is Paint!

 

Anything to help out a fellow modeler, Owl... Heck, I don't even charge folks for stuff unless it's gonna cost me a substantial amount of material...  I've given folks decals, cast figures & engines for them, vac-formed canopies, etc... Even given away some kits...  

All I ask is that they "pay it forward" someday...

When my apartment got robbed during the flood evacuation a couple summers ago, quite a few members sent me a few of their old Monogram kits (as well as some other, higher-end kits. I think those guys had ulterior motives though,  as in, "We gonna get that effin' Hammer to build something that ain't a $1.09 kit from the 60's ), lol...

Speaking of that , the worm-hearted, pus-bags that robbed me took all the kits in my stash that weren't opened (most were Monogram kits), plus tools, like my Dremel and Dremel drill-press, lathe, vacuum-former, etc, then they trashed every one of my dioramas, as well as stealing quite a bit of my military collection, including WW2 Luftwaffe and USAAF uniforms and flight-suits, flight helmets, O-2 masks, a few WW2 weapons,  AND... My most prized (and quite irreplaceable) possession, Dad's WW2 leather A-2 flight jacket... 

However, I digress...

Anytime you (or any of y'all) need something, gimme a shout, either here or back-channel, and I'll see if I have what you're lookin' for, or at least can make a copy of it... My parts-box (which is actually about 12 boxes and even more bins) has parts from around 2000 kits and date from the 60's... Heck, I'm still carrying around a few hulks that I built in the 60s and 70s, lol...  Aircraft, armor, & autos... Still have the hull and suspension from my first armor kit, the Monogram 1/32 scale M-48 Patton... Got that sucker when it was released in the mid-70's with Shep Paine's diorama tip sheet...

"Hammer's Salvage and Parts Supply Center" is open 24/7, lol... A regular model version of the Ft Living Room DRMO... (Stik knows what that is, lol)

jschlechty

 

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Does this mean I know have earned the right to wear the Monogram Mafia GB badge in my signature?

THanks Don Hammer!

Betcher azz, it does... And you're welcome... 

Ben fatto, amico mio ... Bella TBD & F-100 ... E benvenuti a questa Cosa Nostra ...

Nice Corsairs, guys!  I love your finishes.

I have that one in the stash, too

KM1 Looks good especially for brush paintng!

Cool MKelley, I built that one a couple of years ago for the paint brush challenge group build.

Don Hammerloni, without your permission I have completed another for the "family". I am presenting the F4U-4 Corsair of VMF-214 "The Blacksheep" aboard the USS Sicily CVE-118, Korea, 1951. As you can see I had issues with some of the decals silvering. Other than that I thought it came out pretty good. I used salt chipping for the wear, drilled out the cannon ports and replaced those with aluminum tubing and added a tiny piece of clear plastic for the gun sight. The pilot is from another Monogram kit, I can't for the life of me remember which one. Used the old fan trick to get the prop spinning for the pictures. By the way the copy right was for 1963.

Revell reworked the Classic 1/48 P-51B molds for the ProModeler release. What you get nowadays is that kit with its additional cockpit detailing, recessed panel lines, etc. It's like an old freind you grew up with that wore glasses as a kid who comes back in to your life after having lasic done... Still the same inside.

Great work, as usual, folks!  Love the Hun and the Thud; some of my all time favorites!  Nice 'in flights' on the Mitchell, Owl!

Working on the P-39, and am amazed at how well it fits together after so many years.  Pilot's cab door and gun access door are a little loose, but the fit of major components is great; a little filler here and there on the bottom of the fuselage around the wing joint; other than that going good!

Had to gut my nose section and drop in about 9 3/0 lead sinkers to keep the Airacobra from being a 'tail dragger,' Would have loved to salvage that 37mm gun, but the modeling shears made short work of that.....

After looking at everyone's posts, I 'discovered' the 'magic' of Michaels internet coupons, and found a nice Revellogram Ju-87 Stuka, and walked away with it for only $1.48!!! on clearance; unfortunately, they wouldn't let me use the 40% off coupon for that.  So, not wanting to waste a trip to town, I purchased a Revell P51 B/C and F111E Aardvark.  I looked at the P51, doesn't look like the old Monogram kit, is it a Revell or ProModeler kit???  Looks like it will be a decent build.

Hope to have some pictures soon; keep up the great work!!

kustommodeler1

When is the deadline to have both finito? With school, I havent got to pop the top off the cement bottle in over a month.....

Originally (see post #1), it was 6 months from each builder's start date.  31. March was the cutoff to join, but I think there've been exceptions.  Don Hammerelli will know for sure.

kustommodeler1

When is the deadline to have both finito? With school, I havent got to pop the top off the cement bottle in over a month.....

When is the deadline to have both finito? With school, I havent got to pop the top off the cement bottle in over a month.....

Nice job, Travis, I like the way your finish came out!

STFD637

...One thing about Monogram kits is the cockpits and pilots.   I will post some wider shots soon...

Looking forward to those, and you're exactly right.  One of my favorite things about Monogram kits growing up, and not just the aircraft, but the armor kits, too, was the figures.  It seemed so natural to have pilots and crewmen, to make the model look alive, that when I got back into modeling, I was surprised at first to see that so many manufactures didn't include figures, because so many modelers didn't want them.  Gotta have that TBD pilot, with his clipboard, or the USAAF pilots, include the one in his c**t cap, havin' a smoke!  Or the TBF crewman, running across the deck.  They complete the model, in my opinion.

Best regards,

Brad

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]Hans,

I am calling this Girl done! On to the F-4 next. I went with the brown nose and washed it with some black. fun little kit. One thing about Monogram kits is the cockpits and pilots.   I will post some wider shots soon. I weathered this baby with pastels. I went with a more war worn bird. I have seen a lot of the Century Series A/C with exhaust stains on the fusalage and used my own idea of what this plan might look like after a few missions. Plus I wanted to work on my weathering.

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Hans von Hammer

...Now, I'm working the nimble little A6M5 Zeke, so far nothing to photograph.. I've dropped the flaps and added the internal ribbing in there as well as the ribbing in the cockpit area of the fuselage, and have started to work on the cockpit floor and throttle quadrant, along with the other greeblies that go in there..

You'll probably finish yours before I finish mine, padrone!  Of course, I'm waiting for some decal sheets to arrive, too.

Mine has the canopy attached, and several coats of IJN dark green down.  I abandoned the salt technique, though it left an impact.  I have to mask the upper surfaces next and apply the light grey.  Mine is pretty much out of the box, except for having drilled out instrument faces. 

Great work on both, js!! 

Ken